Old Teacher, New Love
by dragonflygirl
Summary: Hermione follows her dream of studying in France, but after a traumatic experience, who will be there to pick up the pieces?
1. Five Years Later

It was five years since the fall of the dark lord and she was finally able to follow her dream of studying medicine at the famous Gristlebone's School of Healing in France. 'It is so beautiful here; I wish I had someone to share this with. My first day here and I'm all alone. Well, I guess it is better off this way. It's not like I'm here to have fun and relationships don't exactly seem to be my strong point,' Hermione thought.  
Hermione Granger, though both beautiful and talented, never seemed to be able to keep a relationship for longer than six months at the most. Maybe her beauty and talent were the reason. Though she certainly wasn't in lack of suitors, no one seemed to be quite right. It always ended up the same. They either left, fed up with her lack of time or intimidated by her smarts or she left them for not being able to keep up with her. Only one relationship seemed to be fine, that is until Harry left her for Ron stating that they wouldn't be able to overcome their, ummm... differences. Of course, they still remained good friends; how could she blame him, Ron was kind of cute!  
It was her first day in Paris and school hadn't started yet. She had come early to get settled and do some sightseeing. 'Well, let's see, where should I visit next? I already went to the Eiffel Tower and I want at least a whole day for the Louve. How about La Musee d'Orsay? Yes, that should do. Now where is it?' she thought, looking at the map.  
"Where are you looking to go, Miss Granger? Maybe I can be of some assistance?" said a voice from behind her. Startled that someone had addressed her by name, Hermione quickly turned around to see the one and only Professor Snape standing behind her. Her old potions teacher, she couldn't believe it. She hadn't seen him since, well, five years ago since he had saved her in the final battle against Voldemort.  
::flashback:: He was coming straight towards her. "You'll never win, you filthy mudblood! My son may have been swayed and turned to your side but I never will. You will pay for this, you and your friend Potter too! "Crucio!" Before she had a chance to block it unimaginable pain shot through her body. "Now to finish you," he said. "Wait, Lucious, let me do it. I have had to put up with that know-it-all for seven years!" came Snape's voice. "Lend me your wand I lost mine." "Fine as long as you make it slow and painful." he said handing it over.  
'I'm lost; I knew he would turn back to their side!' Hermione thought. Snape suddenly whipped around, "Crucio!" and with that Lucious fell. Snape muttered a few more words and he was dead. "Now Granger, off to the infirmary with you." Snape said picking her up. With a final look at her savior she fell into darkness. That was the last she had seen of him. ::end flashback::  
"Miss Granger, Granger? Are you o.k.?" said Snape. "Umm, yea, it's just, I never thought I would see you again and well, Professor, thank you." she replied, almost ending in a whisper. "I'm not your teacher anymore you can call me Severus. And there is no need to thank me, anyone would have done it. So, where are you going?" "La Musee d'Orsay, but this map is not the best help. I'm sure I'll find it, besides I have to eat first and I am sure you are busy but thank you for asking. Oh, and you can call me Hermione."  
"Well Hermione, seeing as you haven't eaten and I am quite hungry myself, may I join you; unless, of course, you are with someone." "No, I'm not with anybody. In fact, Pro- umm... Severus. It's my first day in Paris and I was getting quite lonely not knowing anyone so, yes, I would love to eat with you." Hermione said with a smile. 'She's grown even prettier than when she was 19, especially when she smiles, I've missed that smile that I caught glimpses of.' he thought. "Good, I know a lovely café not far from here." As they talked about what had happened over the years Hermione learned that Severus now worked as a tutor for the students at the school. Amazingly, though he had left Hogwarts to tutor Defense Against the Dark Arts, he had actually come to love potions so much that he taught that instead! 'Amazing,' Hermione thought, 'I am actually enjoying being with my old teacher. He is quite nice when you're not his student and also, he is sort of handsome in his own way. Wait what are you thinking, he could be your father.' she reprimanded herself. 'But he's not.' a little voice couldn't help adding. 


	2. An Enjoyable Day

After they were done eating, Severus said "Actually, I'm not doing anything today, unless you have your heart set on going to the museum I could show you around the city?" "Really that would be so great!" said Hermione, not wanting to end their meeting so fast. So the day was spent roaming the city seeing the sites and getting to know each other more. By the end of the day Hermione wasn't sure why she felt the way she did, but she just knew that she couldn't let this be their only meeting and, although she didn't know it Severus felt the same way. They said goodbye after he walked her to her apartment and as he turned to go he felt a hand on his arm. "Wait, would you, well, umm, would you like to come in for some tea. The place isn't really that settled yet but I do know where the kettle is but I understand if you have to go really..." but she was cut off mid-sentence as Severus broke in, "Hermione, I'd love to. Just lead the way."  
Inside the place was full of boxes and trunks that had been put there that day. As she was making the tea, Severus looked around seeing what the boxes were labeled. Most were books but he couldn't help but notice her open suitcase filled with mostly plain clothes but also a red and black lace teddy. He quickly turned around blushing. Lucky for him Hermione was busy with the tea. "Severus, the tea is ready." she called out, almost making him jump.  
"Hey, Hermione, would you like help unpacking, I mean, I know that we may have our wands to help for the most part, but it still goes faster with two." "Really? Thanks, I thought that I would never get unpacked, I feel so buried in boxes. You have really been so helpful. I can't believe you're the same teacher we all knew and feared back at school." With these last words a troubled look spread across his face. He remembered those days at school, how his peers hated him. Then, it had seemed even as an adult no student at school liked him. Seeing the look on his face Hermione started, "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean that." "No, you're right and I'm sorry, really, so many things were wrong with me. I should have never acted that way. Everyone hated me. The students have always hated me at that school." he stated simply. She knew that he didn't me just when he was a teacher; she remembered what Harry had told her about how he was treated at school.  
She didn't say a word, just walked over kneeled beside him and hugged him. Slowly he started to hug her back. After a minute, she let go and looked him in the face. There she saw the old pain and confusion over what had just happed, but also love. Suddenly their eyes locked; she was transfixed. She leaned in and gently kissed the hurt man sitting in front of her.  
'What are you doing,' her mind screamed, 'he was your teacher.' Yet a second voice was saying, 'Shut up! You've wanted this for the entire day. Just give in!' The second voice won over. 'What are you doing,' his mind screamed, 'she was your student.' Yet a second voice was saying, 'Shut up! You've wanted this for years. Just give in!' Again, the second voice won. Severus slowly brought himself down to the floor next to her, never breaking contact. His tongue slid out and slowly ran over her lips. They tasted like honey and wine. Hermione opened her mouth, allowing his tongue entrance. Their tongues swished together, slowly at first and then faster fighting for dominance. She wound her hands around him, fingers running playfully through his hair. He held her close feeling her chest heaving against him.  
As he broke their kiss, sucking on her bottom lip, they gasped for much needed breath. "That was wrong," he panted. "So wrong," she agreed. "But it felt so right," Severus said slowly, afraid of what he might hear. "So, so right," she whispered seductively in his ear. He looked at her lust filled eyes amazed. 'God, she is beautiful.' he thought. 'Why on earth is she looking that way at me!?!' "Why do you want me, no one wants me?" he asked, almost afraid to hear the answer. 'What if this is just about that night with Lucious? What if she just wants to "pay me back?" That must be it, why else would she even look at me,' he thought. "Do I need a reason to want to be with you?" Hermione teased. "Look," he said shakily, "You don't need to pay me back; you don't want to do this. I'm just going to go. I'm sorry, goodbye." It was now Hermione's turn to look hurt. Before she could say anything he left. Just as quick as it began it ended. 


	3. The Almost Date

Suddenly there was a beeping. "Damn a student will be here at any minute. I forgot. I am so sorry. If you aren't doing anything tonight maybe you would like to come to my house for dinner. Don't worry about there being house elves mistreated. I don't let them do anything I can do myself. The only reason I still have any is because they just don't want to leave! You could come around 7 if it is good for you." He was beginning to rant so she shut him up with a quick kiss. "I'll be there, just give me your address." He handed her a sheet of paper and they said good bye.  
As she walked out she was noticed by a certain former Slytherin with blonde hair. Hermione was too excited to notice anything and passed right by him. He wondered what she was doing there, but no bother. 'What did it matter what someone like her was doing anyways,' he thought and went inside to see his potions tutor.  
Hermione spent the rest of the day getting ready for her date. She showered and took hours choosing the right outfit. She wanted to look good but not be to fancy and of course she wanted to be comfortable. Of course, completing the outfit were black bra and lacy panties. It also took her forever to get her hair in a perfect French curl with wisps of hair framing her face. Finally she applied her make-up and was ready to go. She grabbed her purse and was off.  
It was on her way there that she spotted him, Draco Malfory. He may be bad but at least he wasn't a follower of Voldemort like his father was. She would just ignore him. "Hey Granger, what are you doing in Paris and where are you going all dressed up? Don't tell me you actually have a date? I guess they have lower standards in France." Draco said. "For your information, I am starting at the university next month. And yes, I do have a date, but why do you care?" she retorted. "Well, let's just hope it ends better than your last relationship. I heard about Potter and the Weasel. It figures, being around you would turn anyone off from women for the rest of their live." "Well, you could ask my date yourself, you know him!" This peaked his interest. "But I really don't think that Severus swings that way."  
"YOU and Snape. That's a laugh, what would he be doing with the likes of you?" Draco spit out. "Well if you don't believe me you can just come and..." at this Draco yelled out, "Stay away from him Granger. He's mine." Hermione loved the fact that Draco couldn't stand the thought of her and Severus being together. "Really, now who did we say was turned off from women? Besides Draco, owning people? That's going to far, don't you think? Now, you're making me late for my date." She started walking off when she was grabbed by the wrist. "I mean it, Granger," he hissed. "Piss off, Malfroy!" "Fine, you won't listen, you're gonna pay!" and he suddenly dragged her into an empty alleyway. "Silencio! Now we'll see how much he wants you when I'm through with you!" He grabbed her arms and placed an immobilizing charm on her. As much a she tried she could do nothing as he ravaged her. He finally finished, removing the charms and left her huddled there crying, ragged and bleeding. "Run to him now and see if he wants you," he sneered as he strode away, throwing a cigarette butt in her direction. 


	4. Tender Care

It was late, too late. She had never gotten there and she wasn't at her apartment, he had checked. He was worried. 'What if something happened to her, what if she's lost or hurt without her wand. I have to find her,' he thought. Severus left a note saying he went to look for her in case she got there and left. He cast a locating charm and soon came to a dark alleyway and could hear soft crying.  
He ran to the shuddering huddled ball that had been Hermione. He brushed back her hair, now undone, only to stare into a pair of listless eyes. He knew what had happened, he had seen it before. 'Wait until I find whoever did this to you,' he thought. If only he knew how close by the culprit was, watching, thinking he had won, and then walking away. Severus slowly lifted Hermione up, careful not to hurt her any more than she had already been. "Shhh," he said softly, "I'm here now. Now no one can touch you. You're safe. Just remember, I love you, I'll always love you." With these final words she looked at him with life returning to her eyes. She wrapped her arms around him and cried herself to sleep. He apparated back to his house and went to his bedroom. He laid her on his bed and washed her face off with a cool cloth. He then cleaned her cuts, tied back her hair, and pulled the blankets over her. Severus didn't sleep a wink that night; all he did was sit and watch the fitful rest of his love.  
In the morning, Hermione woke and the night before rushed back to her. She saw Severus and the tears started rolling down her cheeks as she looked at him for a reason. "Why," she cried, "why didn't you tell me he was here? Why? Why did he do this?" "Who did this? Who was here?" Severus asked, trying to stay calm. "Him, M-Malfroy. He said you were his. He said you wouldn't love me anymore. Do you?" "I will love you forever. He can't change that, no one can." Severus replied. "But he said that... and just, oh," she burst into tears. "Malfroy is a bastard. He will get what is coming to him as soon as I find him. Jail is too good for him." "Don't touch him," she whimpered, "you'll go to jail. As long as he is not near us, I don't care where he is.'' "I promise, he'll go to jail and never touch you again."  
"Severus, I need to shower. I still can feel him on me. I need to be clean." He brought her to the large bathroom and started the water for her. He was about to leave when she said, "Wait, please, I don't want to be alone anymore. Don't leave me here alone." He just returned and sat back down. She undressed and he could more bruising and cuts. She would definitely need a doctor. Hermione got into the shower and just sat there crying letting the hot water wash away the grime and bad memories. When she got out Severus helped her to dry off and go back to the freshly made bed. (The house elves understood when help was needed.) Once in bed he asked about a doctor. "No! I don't want anyone to touch me but you," she quickly replied. "What about Madame Pomfrey? She'll understand." Hermione relented and Madame Pomfrey, once owled, reached there by flue within hours.  
After the examination, Madame Pomfrey took Severus aside. "This is despicable," she said, "She will be fine in a few days with the medicine I'll leave you, her arm was slightly fractured and she needed a few stitches for the cut over her eye. There is mostly severe bruising. I think that the worst part is the trauma." She then gave him care instructions and turned to go. "Oh, and Severus, I trust that you will find the man that did this." She then left.  
Severus took care of Hermione, diligently following Madame Pomfrey's instructions. With his gentle care, Hermione was better within a few days. Physically better at least. She spent her days crying and sleeping, she went though activities in a daze. After several weeks, she finally began acting more lifelike, doing daily activities while actually paying attention, not just running through the motions. One night, Hermione decided something. She couldn't stand it that Draco had ever touched her, and didn't want to keep living with the knowledge that he had been the last person she had been with. She wanted to be with someone else, need to be with someone else. Not just anyone, but with some who actually cared for her and she cared for back. 


	5. The Next Great Plan

Severus woke Hermione up with a kiss. "Good Morning, love. Did you sleep well?" said Severus. "Better than I have in ages, thank you, for everything." "You don't have to thank me, I should be thanking you for just letting me be there for you. You could have pushed me away and then I don't know what I would have done. I love you." Hermione smiled, "I love you, too. More than anything, I love you." "Hermione, I'm sorry, but I need to go out. I have an appointment that I really can't break. Are you going to be alright here by yourself, I could always find someone to stay with you..." "Severus, I think I can last awhile without somebody by my side. I have been selfish keeping you so busy; I should have realized that you have things to do. Go ahead to your appointment. I'm just going to go back to sleep for a while; I'm still a little tired." He still looked a little unsure. "Go, I'll be fine." "Okay, I won't be gone for long. The house elves will bring up some breakfast for you when you wake up again. See you soon," said Severus, and he apparated to his office.

At the office, Severus began setting up everything for the plan; he didn't want anything to go wrong. Harry soon arrived at the office, as well. "Hello professor, how have you been? And if you don't mind me asking, what is this all about? The letter you sent me was very vague but since you said it was urgent, I decided to come," Harry said as soon as he entered the room. "I'm sorry I had to be so vague, but I still can't tell you much, it's not my place. What I can say is that Draco has done something awful." Harry snorted. "No Harry, it is much worse than anything he has done before. I can't tell you who he did it to but it was someone very close to both of us, someone who never deserved to have something like this happen to her. Did you bring the cloak? All you need to do is stand in the corner of the room and place a recording spell while Draco is here talking. This plan will require some acting on my part, but I think I will be able to manage. Oh, and you don't have to call me professor anymore, I should think that we have both grown enough to be able to call each other by our first names, okay?"

"Sure, umm, Severus," Harry said, a little confused about why Snape was being so nice to him all of a sudden. "But one thing that has been bothering me, how do you know about my invisibility cloak?" "Harry, think, who owned it before you? When you father was in the Order, it would sometimes come in handy for getting by unnoticed." "Oh," was all that Harry said. It was somewhat disconcerting for him to hear Snape, or rather, Severus, talk about his father without any hint of disdain. Perhaps he had "grown", and for the better.

"Okay, here he comes; I can see him out the window. Get into the corner and put the cloak on. Now I warn you, you are going to be surprised by what you see and hear. It is also more than likely that you will be furious once you hear what he has to say, but you have to remember that by doing this we are doing all that we can legally do to him." "Right, don't worry, I won't mess this up."

Harry had just made it to the corner and pulled the invisibility cloak on when a knock came from the door. Severus answered it and pulled a false smile onto his face. "Why Draco, come in. It has been a long time since our last session. I'm sorry it has been so long but I was quite sick and needed some time to recover." A look of genuine concern crossed Draco's face. "You were ill? I'm so sorry, if I had known I would have visited you. You are feeling better now, I hope." "Yes, much better, thank you."

They chatted for a little bit before Severus's plan really began. He stood up and turned around; pretending to shuffle some papers on his desk, he muttered a dry mouth spell and then put the papers back. They talked a while longer when Severus said, "If you'll excuse me, all this talking has made me thirsty. I'm going to get some water from the kitchen down the hall. Would you like anything?" "You know, all of a sudden I'm my mouth feels so dry, I would love a glass of water, thank you." Severus left and soon returned with a glass of water for himself and another glass containing water and undetectable truth serum. Draco quickly finished the entire glass and the questions began.

Draco had soon told everything that had happened. All the horrid details came out. He went over everything that had been said and how she had tried to fight him. He lingered on how it had felt to be inside her while watching any hope of getting away, of being saved from the nightmare, fade from her eyes. He loved the fact that he had broken her spirit. After all was said, he just sat there and laughed.

That was all Harry could take, throwing aside the cloak he pulled out his wand and pointed it directly at Draco. Seething, all he had time to do is sputter, "You, you..." before Severus grabbed hold of him. "Harry," he hissed, "remember what I said. I know exactly how you feel. I wanted to kill him when Hermione first told me, believe me, I would still like to kill him, but that is not what Hermione wants. She just wants this to be over; she doesn't even know I'm doing this. If one of us hurts him that would mean jail time and what he has done would most likely be overlooked. I promise, he'll do worse in jail and with this evidence he will surely be convicted. Don't hurt him, just arrest him. That is why I asked you to do this, so that someone from the ministry with power will have heard the truth."

Harry, now calmer, decided that Severus was right. Magically binding Draco, Harry read him his rights, which are quite a bit different than muggle rights. After apparating him to the nearest wizarding holding prison and filling out the necessary paperwork, Harry went to Severus's house to see Hermione.

While Harry was taking Draco to prison Severus walked back to the house, stopping on the way to buy flowers for Hermione and a bottle of wine for Harry. As soon as he entered the house, Hermione, beaming, came running to meet him. "I'm so happy you're home. Ron got here right after you left! He won't tell me where Harry is, but he did say you were the reason for the unexpected visit. Thank you so much! So, do you know where Harry is?" "The meeting I had been with Harry, we had something important to do that I need to talk to you about. He is just finishing that up and then he will get here. We have to talk before Harry gets here; could you go and tell Ron that I said hello and ask him to excuse us for a minute. I am going to go and put the flowers in a vase and you can meet me in the kitchen, okay?" "Sure, be there in a minute," she said, wondering what sort of meeting he would have been having with Harry. 'Doesn't he hate Harry; well, then again I used to think he hated me, too.' she thought.

Telling Ron that she would be back soon, she went in the kitchen and found Severus putting the tea kettle on the stove. "Hey handsome, what did you want to talk about that was so important?" asked Hermione, wrapping her arms around him. "Well, I'm not sure where to start. I guess I'll begin by telling you that Harry knows about what happened. I'm sorry, I didn't want him to find out, but he had to know for my plan. You see, although you said that you just wanted everything to be over, I had to finish it and see that the slime that did this to you was a least put in jail." He told her everything that had happened and was ready to hear her say that she had wanted it to be over and he should have just left everything alone, but all she did was let out a sigh of relief.

"Severus, I can't thank you enough. I had changed my mind, I want him in jail. I just wasn't sure how to make anyone believe me and then you go and do all the work for me; I didn't even have to talk to him. Also, I wanted Harry to know, and Ron too. I just don't want to talk about it and didn't know how to tell them. Do you think that you could tell Ron for me, also? I'll try to answer their questions but I don't think I could tell either of them outright." "I would do anything for you. Just wait in here and I will come get you once I finish telling Ron all I know," he said, kissing her on the head.

After a while Severus came back into the kitchen to get Hermione and the tea. Just as they entered the sitting room with the tea and biscuits, there came a loud pop; Harry had arrived. He rushed over to Hermione and gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "Hermione, are you okay? I just, I dunno, I just wish I could have done something," said Harry, taking a step back from her. "Harry, you don't know how much you've already done by just arresting him. And as for being okay, well, I am fine physically but it will be a long time before I am alright mentally. I am getting better and better every day though; thanks to Severus. He is the only reason I'm able to do anything. If it weren't for him, I would never be able to get out of bed in the morning or do anything to take care of myself," she replied as she glanced at the man by her side.

Now Ron spoke up, "If it were up to me I'd kill Draco in an instant. Why in Merlin's name are you letting him off so easy?" "Ron," said Hermione in an exasperated tone of voice, "if any of you hurt him you would be in trouble and that is the last thing I want, Severus told you that." "But still, it just not fair." "Nothing about this has been fair, Ron," said an angry Severus, "and you're right, Draco does deserve a punishment worse than prison, but there is nothing we can do about it."

Everyone sat down and had tea while Hermione and Severus answered the rest of the other couple's questions, most of which were about their relationship. Both were amazed that Hermione would have actually chosen to be with Snape, as they couldn't help but think of him. After all the questions were answered they spent the rest of the time chit chatting. The time to leave came too soon for all of them. Harry and Ron were just about to use the floo to get back home when Severus remembered the wine he got for Harry. "Hermione, would you terribly mind getting Harry's gift? I just have one thing that I want to tell Harry and Ron before they go."

After Hermione went to get the wine, Harry asked what Severus wanted to tell them. "I just wanted to let you know that I will never hurt her and, as much as I am able, never let her be hurt again." "You know," Harry said, "somehow I already knew that." "Yeah, you're not half bad," Ron said, "I really never would have guessed Hermione would have ever been with you though, no offense." "None taken, I never would have thought she would even give me a second glance. I love her more than anything."

"Hope it's me you're talking about, Sev," said Hermione, having heard the last part of what he said. "Who else would I be talking about, you're my everything." he said taking her into his arms, "Thank you for getting the wine for me. Harry, this is for you for helping me put Draco behind bars." "Really, you didn't have to get me something. I would have done anything to help, but thank you, nonetheless. I will save this for when we celebrate after the trial, for I'm sure that we will be the ones doing the celebrating," said Harry. Everyone said their good-byes and promised to visit each other in England soon.


End file.
